Brooklyn: Dyker Heights
Posted by Carey Jones, October 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM
[Photos: Robyn Lee]
Our Top Five
- The Winner: Two Little Red Hens
- Mona Lisa Pastry Shoppe
- Lady M Cake Boutique
- Cheesecake Factory
- Fairway Market
In the pantheon of iconic New York foods, not much outranks the proud cheesecake. Whether after dinner at Luger's, by the round at Eileen's, or shipped across the country by Junior's, New York cheesecakes are a force to be reckoned with. The cheesecake is a dessert that's perfect in its simplicity. A silky, creamy base, an optional thin crust—and that's it.
What makes a first-class cheesecake? It's smooth and creamy, just sweet enough, with a hint of tartness. If there's a crust, it adds something extra without overwhelming the taste of the cheesecake itself. And it's rich enough to seem a bit decadent, without going down like a cement pour. You should want to keep eating—at least, for more than one bite.
So we canvassed the boroughs for New York's best cheesecake, arrived at our finalists, and assembled our panel of crack tasters. All cakes were tasted blind, brought to the same temperature, in similar-size slices. We even scuffed up the edges of the more cosmetically privileged. And we had our tasters start with different samples, to cancel out the effects of palate fatigue—a real concern, after 14 cheesecakes. As it turns out, the first bite wasn't always the best bite.
(For the purposes of fair comparison, we went only with bakery cheesecakes, rather than restaurant ones. We also excluded all flavored and ricotta-based cheesecakes—stay tuned for later taste-tests.)
So after countless miles traveled, bites considered, and calories consumed, we've arrived at our winners. Our favorites, our surprise showings, and the best cheesecake in New York—after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Ed Levine, October 25, 2007 at 4:57 AM
The piece in the New York Times about the impending arrival of the Italian food extravaganza/retail concept Eatalia reminded me of a similar idea that crashed and burned in a big way more than 20 years ago, the DDL Foodshow, created by movie producer Dino DeLaurentis (grandfather of Giada). And does anyone remember Eatzi's? Another Italian marketplace extravaganza imported from Texas to New York that opened and closed in less than a year.
I'm not suggesting that Eatalia will suffer the fate of DDL. Eatalia's owner Oscar Farinetti knows the food business, has a successful model in Turin, Italy, and let's face it, the food world has changed so much in the years since DDL Foodshow opened in November, 1982 and closed in April, 1984, just off Broadway (it was on Columbus in what is currently Calle Ocho). For one thing he seems determined to keep down the prices: “Eataly’s goal,” Mr. Farinetti said, “is to make high-quality Italian foods available to everyone, at sustainable prices and in an informal environment where they can shop, taste and learn.” I don't think that Dino DeLaurentis had similar goals. He was trying to make a big score with a big statement store in the age of greed.
But there are also some similarities in terms of the grandiosity of the owner's vision. The scope of Eatalia is huge, and Italian's eating habits are very different from ours. I would suggest that Mr. Farinetti take on a New York food retailing partner who can instruct him on the ways of the food world in NYC.
I am rooting for him to succeed. The idea of having a real, honest Italian market/restaurant in midtown is incredibly appealing to me and others. I would just advise him to heed the lessons of DDL Foodshow and Eatzi's.
And until Eatalia, I have another cool place to shop for Italian foods after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Carey Jones, October 19, 2009 at 10:00 AM
[Photos: Robyn Lee]
Our Top Five
- The Winner: Two Little Red Hens
- Mona Lisa Pastry Shoppe
- Lady M Cake Boutique
- Cheesecake Factory
- Fairway Market
In the pantheon of iconic New York foods, not much outranks the proud cheesecake. Whether after dinner at Luger's, by the round at Eileen's, or shipped across the country by Junior's, New York cheesecakes are a force to be reckoned with. The cheesecake is a dessert that's perfect in its simplicity. A silky, creamy base, an optional thin crust—and that's it.
What makes a first-class cheesecake? It's smooth and creamy, just sweet enough, with a hint of tartness. If there's a crust, it adds something extra without overwhelming the taste of the cheesecake itself. And it's rich enough to seem a bit decadent, without going down like a cement pour. You should want to keep eating—at least, for more than one bite.
So we canvassed the boroughs for New York's best cheesecake, arrived at our finalists, and assembled our panel of crack tasters. All cakes were tasted blind, brought to the same temperature, in similar-size slices. We even scuffed up the edges of the more cosmetically privileged. And we had our tasters start with different samples, to cancel out the effects of palate fatigue—a real concern, after 14 cheesecakes. As it turns out, the first bite wasn't always the best bite.
(For the purposes of fair comparison, we went only with bakery cheesecakes, rather than restaurant ones. We also excluded all flavored and ricotta-based cheesecakes—stay tuned for later taste-tests.)
So after countless miles traveled, bites considered, and calories consumed, we've arrived at our winners. Our favorites, our surprise showings, and the best cheesecake in New York—after the jump.
Continue reading »
Posted by Ed Levine, October 25, 2007 at 4:57 AM
The piece in the New York Times about the impending arrival of the Italian food extravaganza/retail concept Eatalia reminded me of a similar idea that crashed and burned in a big way more than 20 years ago, the DDL Foodshow, created by movie producer Dino DeLaurentis (grandfather of Giada). And does anyone remember Eatzi's? Another Italian marketplace extravaganza imported from Texas to New York that opened and closed in less than a year.
I'm not suggesting that Eatalia will suffer the fate of DDL. Eatalia's owner Oscar Farinetti knows the food business, has a successful model in Turin, Italy, and let's face it, the food world has changed so much in the years since DDL Foodshow opened in November, 1982 and closed in April, 1984, just off Broadway (it was on Columbus in what is currently Calle Ocho). For one thing he seems determined to keep down the prices: “Eataly’s goal,” Mr. Farinetti said, “is to make high-quality Italian foods available to everyone, at sustainable prices and in an informal environment where they can shop, taste and learn.” I don't think that Dino DeLaurentis had similar goals. He was trying to make a big score with a big statement store in the age of greed.
But there are also some similarities in terms of the grandiosity of the owner's vision. The scope of Eatalia is huge, and Italian's eating habits are very different from ours. I would suggest that Mr. Farinetti take on a New York food retailing partner who can instruct him on the ways of the food world in NYC.
I am rooting for him to succeed. The idea of having a real, honest Italian market/restaurant in midtown is incredibly appealing to me and others. I would just advise him to heed the lessons of DDL Foodshow and Eatzi's.
And until Eatalia, I have another cool place to shop for Italian foods after the jump.
Continue reading »
